Fuel Management

Proposed Law Would Ease Fuel Economy Rules

October 13, 2017
• by Staff

A pair of federal lawmakers from Michigan have proposed a bill that would make it easier for automakers to meet fuel economy requirements, reports Reuters.

The bipartisan legislation proposed by Reps. Fred Upton (R-St. Joseph) and Debbie Dingell (D-Ann Arbor) would require the Environmental Protection Agency and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to reconcile their fuel econony standards so manufacturers could comply with one set of rules.

The changes would allow manufacturers to make vehicles that are an average of 3 miles a gallon less efficient in 2021. Current standards require a near doubling of fuel economy by 2025. President Trump has also reopened a review of Obama's rules that could loosen the standards.

The national average price of unleaded gasoline jumped 5 cents to $2.49 per gallon in the first week of 2018 and has reached a level not seen since 2014 during the week that starts the new year, according to AAA.

China is setting a deadline for automakers to end the sale of fossil-fuel powered vehicles as the country looks to reduce oil consumption and pollution and push for the development of electric vehicles. Regulators are working on a timetable for the ban.

The average national price of gasoline remained at $2.29 per gallon for the week ending March 27 amid discussion by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to extend a production cut by another six months.